You are loved, and that changes everything.
You often forget, and you try to earn it because somewhere back there you lost sight of that truth. The truth which gives you wings and feet at once.
During these forgetting times, you exchange graced love for deep cavern mining, and you attempt pounding love together from the pieces you dredge because you’re trying to earn it, and you want something good to share for all your efforts.
You make words and gesture and gifts (and yourself tired, trying).
Sometimes you step back and see clearly the beauty of what you’ve made, and this is grace. Sometimes others notice, even thank you. Again, grace.
Please keep making and doing with your love because love is nothing if not active (both the giving and receiving).
But left only to our own pounding, we feel the empty, and the work clinks like metal point on rock, and no matter what we excavate from deep explorations, we cannot gather up enough to keep making love gifts.
So please know the Love that is. From the beginning to the end is, unchanging. The Love that longs to fill you and continue filling to overflow.
Like spontaneous song.
Like thankfulness.
Like gurgling brook and water running down smoothed rock.
Like trees bursting color and raining spring blossom.
Look up and see those flowers swirling around you, and watch as one pink treasure gently lands in your open palm.
Hold, smell deeply. Remember and receive the love right where you stand.
Then, share it.

This feels so like a Love poem to me, Ashley! You string words together so beautifully. You have given us so many word pictures here that point to what Love and grace look and feel like, in case we might have forgotten, or never knew. Yes, how hard we sometimes work trying to earn a love that is already there for us. I wonder if we knew to hold out our hand and allow spring blossoms to fall into our open palm, how much more freely would we offer love up as well? Thank you Ashley! xo
Thank you, Ma! Such a connection between really receiving love and giving it. I receive your love and pass it back atcha! Xoxo
ooo, i just glanced at my comment and realize that it could be misconstrued to mean that I took this post as a love poem to me! NO! What I meant (though my English is awfully imprecise at times!) is that to ME it seemed like a love poem. There! :) xo (but write me a love poem any time you like.)
xo
Beautiful wisdom Ashley!
Thank you for commenting, MariAnna. Sending love.
I recently experienced in two unforgettable days what love is, yours sang to my heart. I was humbled by what I experienced. I was deeply touched by the outpouring of genuine love and caring.You embraced me with your warmth and appreciation, told and showed me how much I mattered to you. Memories filled by love. Grace surrounded me. Thank you!
That makes me so happy. :)